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Friday, November 22, 2013

Favorite Things Friday: THE Best Baby Toy. Ever.

I know I'm hardly the first blogger to talk about Sophie and how great she is. Seriously though, isn't she cute? She almost looks vintage, doesn't she?

Well that's because she is! Sophie is over 50 years old and hails from France. She was born in the 1960s. Though some reviewers have criticized Sophie for being a "glorified dog toy", the fact that she has stuck around for so many decades and has become available in over 40 countries means that she is obviously a hit with the babies!

All three of my babies have loved Sophie. I wasn't sure what to think of Sophie when we first got her, but now that we're on baby #3, she is pretty much a staple around here when it comes to baby things.

When I first saw Sophie and heard about how popular she has become, my first thoughts were, "Ew, but a rubber chew toy for a baby? What about the chemicals?"

That's the beauty of Sophie. She is made from 100% natural rubber from the Hevea tree. Her spots and such are done with vegetable dyes. She is BPA and Phthalate free. I'll admit, Sophie doesn't look like much.

But most important: babies adore Sophie.

They love all her chewy bits. Babies can easily grasp her neck and her four legs with their tiny fingers. Sophie's horns, ears, legs, and nose make for perfect chomping bits. Basically: you should not face the teething stage without Nanny Sophie to help.

Finally, as if I needed any more proof of how loved Sophie is by babies, checkout my new baby's brand new Sophie alongside my almost-three-year-old's Sophie. It's been well loved, as you can see!

The spots are perfect as babies love to see contrasting colors. Sophie is soft and gives little squeaks when handled, and her big dark eyes fascinate babies. She is the simplest of things, and yet so much entertainment for babies. I'm not the only one who thinks so. This toy has won more awards than you can count and she holds the rank as the most gifted baby toy on Amazon. {Speaking of, if you need a baby shower gift idea, here it is.}

{By the way, I was not paid, asked, compensated, or black mailed into posting this. I'm just a mom who has had three babies and knows how great Sophie is.}

As soon as our babies are old enough to grasp toys, we make sure that Sophie is on-hand at all times.

Tip: pacifier clips wrap nicely around one of Sophie's leg to prevent her from getting lost.

So that's my recommend this week. For the baby in your life:

Sophie the Giraffe is a must.

She is not the cheapest of baby toys, sometimes people complain of the price, which is usually somewhere between $19-$25. When my third baby was born, I purchased this bundle 2 piece set from an Amazon seller, and it's a great deal. It's also worth pointing out that Sophie is mostly handmade, with 19 manual steps going into each Sophie's creation. Most parents/babies who've used Sophie would probably argue that she's worth every penny. Plus, it's a great price point for a baby shower gift.

We never did get one of these for the little dude, but both of my girlfriends got these for their girls and they loved them. My only advice with them...don't stick them in the dishwasher. My super neurotic friend destroyed her daughters because she was worried it was getting gross. I now call it her murder washer instead of dishwasher.